Daniel Morden – Podcasts (March)
March’s Ysbrydoli blog is from Daniel Morden, who shares with us his new podcast series of stories for grown ups.
What is the project
A podcast of stories that seemed to have a bearing on the crisis. Some of the stories had been known to me for many years but I had only told two of them before. I had to adjust the way I perform- I couldn’t use visual clues such as facial expressions or gestures, and I had to tell in an intimate, conversational way rather than fill a theatre space with my voice. I now have six new stories that I am eager to tell ‘live’ when circumstances allow. I am grateful for funding from ACW/National Lottery Stabilisation Fund which enabled me to research and develop new versions that suited the medium and the moment.
There have been over 1800 downloads!. Folks have listened in America, Germany, Romania, Greece, Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden, Serbia, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, India, Spain and Switzerland as well as the UK. This has been particularly heartening for me during Brexit. The messages I have received suggest that the podcast has achieved its goal – to be a brief consolation and escape from the confusion, anxiety and uncertainty of the pandemic.
Who is it for and how can people get involved/engage?
You can access them via my website www.danielmorden.org. I would welcome any comments about the project.
It is for adults: there are a few disturbing moments, but mostly the age recommendation is because the stories work better with people who have lived a little. We are all stuck inside at the moment, but it occurred to me that most people have access to the internet, so this podcast enables people who couldn’t ordinarily make it to shows to enjoy stories. Much as I would like to, I can’t go everywhere. The podcast has travelled much more widely than I ever will.
Tell us more about yourself in a short biog. How did you start storytelling? How long have you been doing this? Where are you based etc? How do you work with story?
I was a child who rode imaginary horses around the playground. I discovered storytelling thanks to an evening class run my Sally Pomme Clayton in 1988. She began the opening session by telling Baba Yaga. Oh my goodness! What just happened?! I shut my eyes and could see it all! It was better than cinema!. She and her colleagues Ben Haggarty and Hugh Lupton were hugely generous with their time and expertise as I began my storytelling career.
As well as solo performances I often work with The Devil’s Violin www.thedevilsviolin.co.uk. I have written many children’s books based on traditional stories. You can find them here
https://www.gomer.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=daniel+morden
I am fascinated by this artform. I am so far gone I am at a loss why it isn’t as popular as standup.
Lockdown Watch – something you have seen online that you want to share e.g. a video/podcast/online event that has inspired you at this time?
I am tempted to pretend I have been translating The Iliad or taken up mindfulness, but the sad truth is my lockdown discovery has been STEREO UNDERGROUND (BBC Sounds). It is a local radio show with an affable host who plays punk/indie, peppered with listener’s stories of embarrassing experiences at Stranglers gigs thirty years ago. And there’s a Virtual Pub Quiz!. The adrenaline rush that comes from rediscovering the opening chords of a song like ANARCHY IN THE UK has been the highlight of many a day.